Where I Grew

Accompanied by an elderly caretaker, a child on a woodland walk considers their family legacy of finding home in this minimalist picture book. The exuberantly dressed protagonist—pink glasses matching a pink beret—narrates each step of the forest journey: “We come from all over.// We all took different paths.” Swinging from a tree branch amid dandelion seeds, they note one way: “by air.” Crossing a quiet brook represents another: “by water.” A curious fox in the underbrush stands in for “with the help of fellow travelers.” Upon finding a “perfect place/ To put down/ our roots,” the child notes, “This is/ where/ I grew.” Seasons later, as shown by a spread of tree branches in varying weather, the now-adult protagonist returns to the forest with children in tow, thinking about the journeys they will undertake. Awan’s clear, unfussy first-person lines and Jomepour Bell’s bold, translucent illustrations add layers to an expansively imagined portrait of building community and putting down roots. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)